The Gaza flotilla incident: Will our President vote “present”?

TEL AVIV—Israeli commandos boarded a flotilla carrying aid and activists to the blockaded Gaza Strip early Monday, with the Israeli military saying that more than 10 activists were killed in a skirmish aboard one vessel during the operation.

The incident triggered strong condemnation from Israel’s friends and foes alike, and plunged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into his worst diplomatic crisis since taking power early last year.

Mr. Netanyahu, who was in Canada, canceled a visit with U.S. President Barack Obama that was slated for Tuesday in Washington, a meeting that Israeli and U.S. officials had hoped would mend a recent rift between the two allies. An Israeli official said the prime minister “feels he has to be home to deal with this.”

Israeli officials scrambled Monday to fend off a diplomatic barrage over the sea battle from Middle Eastern and European capitals. Israel heightened security across the country on Monday in anticipation of Palestinian demonstrations or other unrest, as thousands protested against Israel in Istanbul.

In a statement, White House spokesman Bill Burton said the U.S. “deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained” in the incident. The statement said that administration officials are “currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.”

European capitals reacted more angrily. French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his “deep emotion in the face of the tragic consequences of Israel’s military operation.” In a statement, Mr. Sarkozy said he “condemns a disproportionate use of force.”

Britain’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said in a statement that the U.K. has asked for information about British citizens believed to be aboard the flotilla and called on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza. “I deplore the loss of life,” he said, adding that “there is a clear need for Israel to act with restraint and in line with international obligations.”

Israel defended its actions, saying armed activists attacked Israeli soldiers as they were being lowered onto the deck by helicopter. The Israeli army said early Monday that one soldier’s weapon was taken and turned against Israeli forces. It said that in addition to the fatalities, at least a dozen activists had been injured, as well as 10 Israeli military personnel.

An Israeli military spokesman said later in the day that some activists appeared to be armed with guns, and fired at the Israeli soldiers, though it wasn’t clear who fired first.

IsraellyCool has been following the latest developments and notes that the pro-Palestinian, pro-radical Islam “peace activists” were anything but “peaceful” in response to the soldiers’ boarding of the flotilla, where it looks like (via photos and video) the “peace activists” struck first. It should be noted that the military’s plan of action was to stop the flotilla via non-violent means. Obviously the “peace activists” had other plans:

Our Navy commandoes fell right into the hands of the Gaza mission members. A few minutes before the takeover attempt aboard the Marmara got underway, the operation commander was told that 20 people were waiting on the deck where a helicopter was to deploy the first team of the elite Flotilla 13 unit. The original plan was to disembark on the top deck, and from there rush to the vessel’s bridge and order the Marmara’s captain to stop.

Officials estimated that passengers will show slight resistance, and possibly minor violence; for that reason, the operation’s commander decided to bring the helicopter directly above the top deck. The first rope that soldiers used in order to descend down to the ship was wrested away by activists, most of them Turks, and tied to an antenna with the hopes of bringing the chopper down. However, Flotilla 13 fighters decided to carry on.

Navy commandoes slid down to the vessel one by one, yet then the unexpected occurred: The passengers that awaited them on the deck pulled out bats, clubs, and slingshots with glass marbles, assaulting each soldier as he disembarked. The fighters were nabbed one by one and were beaten up badly, yet they attempted to fight back.

However, to their misfortune, they were only equipped with paintball rifles used to disperse minor protests, such as the ones held in Bilin. The paintballs obviously made no impression on the activists, who kept on beating the troops up and even attempted to wrest away their weapons.

One soldier who came to the aid of a comrade was captured by the rioters and sustained severe blows. The commandoes were equipped with handguns but were told they should only use them in the face of life-threatening situations. When they came down from the chopper, they kept on shouting to each other “don’t shoot, don’t shoot,” even though they sustained numerous blows.

Of course, this is quickly becoming a PR nightmare for Israel, thanks in no small part to anti-Israel pro-Palestinian “cause” European countries like France and the UK, which – as the WSJ article noted – quickly condemned Israel before taking the time to review the facts on the table. I anticipate the pro-Palestinian gang at the UN will weigh in shortly with their own condemnation of Israel, if they haven’t already. Same sh*t, different day with respect to how the “international community” acts and reacts to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, regardless of the history of the Palestinians’ manufacturing stories about alleged Israeli “attrocities” in order to sway world “leaders” on an emotional level rather than a factual basis.

Key in all this? How the United States will respond. So far their response has been measured, but once they’ve taken the time to review what happened, how will our President react? Considering our already strained relations with Israel – thanks to our dangerously inept “fearless leader,” who has been busy the last year and half ripping huge holes in our relationships with longstanding allies like the UK, Germany, Poland, and, yes, Israel – I’m not optimistic. This President, a la Jimmy Carter, has demonstrated a disturbing tendency to see and identify with the “arguments” made against the US made by its foes and enemies, precisely because he – like so many other liberals – refuses to believe in American exceptionalism and instead bows to the gods of Moral Relativism. There is no right or wrong – there just “is” … unless you’re the United States and Israel, which in those cases you can’t do anything right as far as the “international community” is concerned.

I know I’m digressing a bit here but I think it’s an important point to make in light of the flotilla incident and the “official” responses that are already coming out as a result of it. As I’ve written previously:

While I don’t think Obama “hates” America, he clearly is ashamed of it – which is why he routinely apologizes for it, just like he did yesterday at the UN. He is going out of his way to forge new “alliances” with countries that have never shown much – if any – sincere interest in working with us on any issues mutually beneficial to both our country and their respective countries. In fact, some of the countries he’s working with have been downright hostile and in some cases threatening to both the US and her interests abroad, while he’s throwing under the bus the ones we’ve been able to count on over the years – in particular, the UK. If our alliance with the UK is damaged, we might as well have no allies because they are the only country that consistently stands with us when push comes to shove on national security-related issues.

I remember the various outcries during the Bush administration when the left believed we were treating our allies wrongly like, for example, when Rumsfeld referred to certain countries in Europe as “old Europe” – the left went nuts, chiding the administration for “bad form,” “poor diplomacy skills,” and for alleged deliberate attempts at “alienating” our allies. Where is there outrage now? Not only has he damaged our close relationship with the UK, but he’s alienated Germany as well, not to mention the Czech Republic and Poland.

I thought Obama was supposed to be some diplomatic dreamboat, “restoring” America’s good reputation throughout the world? Turns out the joke’s on everyone who voted for this diplodunce in disguise, on everyone who thought two lackluster years in the Senate, a few more years in the Ill. State Senate, a history of associating with Chicago leftist radicals like Bill Ayers and Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a brief overseas rock star tour over the summer, and a few years spent on foreign soil as a child prepared candidate Obama for the tough international challenges Presidents routinely face.

On the foreign relations front, the chickens have come home to roost with this President, whose radical associations were clear warning bells to those of us who weren’t blinded by the obsene amount of limelight that surrounded him, thanks in no small part to a willingly fawning mainstream media in harmonious concert with “respected” pundits and prominent public figures both on the left and the (RINO) right who branded any criticism of Obama during the campaign – and now – as “baseless” or “overblown,” steeped in nothing more than raw, naked “racism.”

President Obama’s impending official response to what happened between the “peace activists” and Israeli military will be key in determining whether or not he honestly intends on mending fences with our core ally in the Middle East, or appease Israel-bashers like the United Nations and Rev. Wright, endearing himself to Islamofascists all over the world who are hell bent on the destruction of the western way of life. Stay tuned.

It is important to note that the “peace activists” who attacked the troops were Turks. We better look hard in the mirror very soon and make a decision as to who our friends are… those who are pledged to annihilate us or those who share our values and interests? While this administration reaches out to our enemies, it won’t even meet with Governor Brewer whose state is being overrun by illegals. Who is “us” anymore?

Who is “us” these days anyway? I can’t tell in this new “one-world-without-borders”. Like us, Israel has no right to protect its borders.

Obama will probably say the incident was regrettable nd avoidable. There isn’t much more he can do. Obama and the US are only so relavent here.

Israel has a much bigger problem – Turkey. Israel is fast running out or friends, let alone states that just tolertate them. Likud is making Israel into one of the most hated states on the planet. This incident will not be forgotten. It’s time for Israelis to get rid of Likud.

Ten Dead? No big deal. I feel nothing. The loss of a family pet causes me more grief. They were warned. Deadly force could be used. It was a choice the protesters made themselves. Tango Sierra. Damn lucky that large caliber naval guns were not brought to bear.
As for Barry the Imitation CINC. The boy will issue the regrettable thing shortly after golf and such with ayers and the rest of the chicago scum. And the dear reader’s Chief of Staff is in Israel to have his son’s Bar Mitzvah. For show only. I wish I could have mine in the shadow of the Western Wall.

Message to Israel re. the bad guys: Nuke ’em till they glow.
Message to America re. the bad guys: Be ready to nuke ’em ’till they glow.
Message to bad guys: Be ready to be nuked until you glow.
Message to the rest of the bleeding heart world; FU!

[…] termer who doesn’t need the Jewish vote anymore, the U.S. will continue to side with Israel. Sister Toldjah: President Obama’s impending official response to what happened between the “peace activists” […]

Before becoming President there should be a mandatory psych eval. In this case it would be revealed that he hates the mother who taught him to hate the part she was, and he hates himself for hating her. Because of this, he projects all of his self hate out into every other aspect of his life, except those in his inner circle. In his pee noodle brain, we are the enemy and he must annihilate in order to survive.

Any American who values the survival of Israel and votes for Democratic candidates is letting himself be played for a fool. This is also true in the case of any American who values the survival of his own country, of Western civilization, or of civilization in any form…it’s just that the cause-and-effect are likely to operate on a shorter time scale in the case of Israel.

What’s more polarized that American politics? Events or discussions about the Middle East. And in a new tragic chapter to the Middle East, Israeli commandos stormed a flotilla of Palestinian activists carrying aid for Gaza Palestinians. The end r…

Unfortunately, Warren Herrick and Rhymes With Right have nailed this one.

Obama has already exhibited his emnity toward Israel in the disgraceful way he treated Netanyahu during his last White House visit. Every fiber in his being tells him to bow before anti-American dictators and insult those who desire freedom. This will just be one more example.

Ummmm…..that would be when Iran sends munitions to Hezbollah so they can attack Israel.

The circumstances here are clear. Gaza is run by Hamas, another terrorist organization. Acordingly, Israel for several years has enforced a blockade to prevent weapons from reaching these terrorists.

In this case, the flotilla tried to run the blockade under cover of midnight darkness. Once intercepted, they were told they could port at Ashdod and would be permitted to deliver their cargo if it was in fact humanitarian. They refused. In that case, boarding and seizing the vessels is a proper course of action.

By the way – isn’t it interesting that the Hamas supporters like JMJ and Riyoz have their panties in a bunch about this – but didn’t utter a peep when the North Koreans killed 46 South Koreans in an unprovoked attack.

By the way – isn’t it interesting that the Hamas supporters like JMJ and Riyoz have their panties in a bunch about this – but didn’t utter a peep when the North Koreans killed 46 South Koreans in an unprovoked attack.

Bingo! Isn’t that amazing? It’s almost as if the critics always seem to be on the side of Communists and terrorists.

It’s truly sad! Only “state terrorism” counts I guess. Forget about the rule of law. The Gaza strip’s only form of trade it bombmaking lately. The Palestinians receive more “foreign aid” than any other country in Africa or most of the world. The have become the darling victim of Islamic fascism. Follow the money. A general reform is necessay that is true, but you cannot have it unless everyone respects the rule of law and human life.

Israel has Gaza under a declared blockade; these fine gentlemen were attempting to run the blockade. The Israelis could have just flat out sunk them.

I’d note here that Gaza isn’t completely surrounded by Israel: there is a southern border with Egypt, and Egypt, too, has greatly restricted traffic across its border with Gaza. Now the Egyptians are saying that they might ease up a bit, and allow “humanitarian” supplies through.

The Palestinians are in a wholly unique position: they are the only people of whom I can think who could win their war by not fighting. If they’d just put down their arms, they’d get their Palestinian state.

We used to hear how Bush and Cheney were in the pockets of big oil and the arabs. Now let’s see which side of this quarrel Obama comes out on. There have been assertions that he is more Muslim than Christian. Will this incident shine light on that issue? Will the media investigate the “humantarian” flotilla that chose to challenge a well-publicized blockade of arms into Gaza while Israel permits adequate life-sustaining shipments?

Am I being “un-American” by wanting to apologize to the world for our uneducated, antiquated, and bigoted responses posted here?
Those of you that equate sympathy for Palestinian civilians with siding with “communists and terrorists” should try to go back in time and get a job in Joe McCarthy’s staff. No one shooting a rocket into Israel out of desperation is in the right, but neither is an occupying state who blockades “horrible terrorist supplies” like lentils.
Those of you (looking right at Dana) who say things like “If they’d just put down their arms, they’d get their Palestinian state,” need to read every part of the Middle East peace process since 1967! This only works when both sides honor agreements made in peaceful diplomatic negotiations. I agree that terrorism and violence are hurting their cause, but it’s hard to get any change in their favor with laws that give Israeli’s rights to settle freely on Palestinian land with no legal recourse as Palestinian “citizens” cannot file lawsuits. Let’s not simplify for the pea-brained!
And finally, those of you that think Obama “hates” or is “hurting” this country by apologizing, showing humility, and not acting like we are the only ones that matter, should NEVER get a job in the state dept. PLEASE. Ruling the world under our heal is what will prompt another terrorist attack.